


Quartz Cuts Deep

by SigTauZach77



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Anti-Hero, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect OC - Freeform, Original Character(s), Sarcasm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:21:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22983967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SigTauZach77/pseuds/SigTauZach77
Summary: Living on Illium means crime, and credits. He was good at both, and didn't give a damn what anyone thought. When a dangerous proposition from a legendary source reveals itself, who is he to say no? Even cold bastards crave adventure sometimes.
Relationships: Male Shepard (Mass Effect)/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Rose Quartz

**Author's Note:**

> I've been mulling over this story for quite some time, and finally decided to pursue it! I hope whomever stumbles upon it finds some enjoyment!
> 
> This first chapter is pretty short; I've always found a juicy yet to the point first chapter helps build some excitement! I'm also challenging myself to update this very frequently; I've got the backbone of the story pretty much mapped out so filling in the details won't take very long.

“Please…I swear I can pay in a few days. I’m only short because a few of my colony shipment lines have had trouble. I’m good for it!”

The salarian spoke in a hushed, frantic tone, almost getting drowned out in the soft pulsating bass of the music. His pleas were directed across the table at a younger human with a demeanor flirting between cool calculation, and mocking satisfaction.

 _‘Fucking salarians’_ , he mused to himself with a small chuckle, _‘I can’t tell if this is funny or just pathetic.’_

The human scanned the surrounding area with honed subtlety; Eternity wasn’t horribly over-patrolled but you could never be too careful. He returned his cold gaze to the salarian,

“Look Perrik, you can spout whatever shit you want to me, the fact is I really don’t give a damn about your sob story. This is the second time we’ve had to have a chat, and I think you’re just competent enough to know there won’t be a third. Now, here’s what’s going to happen-“

“Please! I swear I’m good for it! Batasha knows I’m good for it! I’m begging you-“

The human scoffed, the desperation in the salarian’s voice was as much enjoyable as it was grating,

“Heh, funny you should mention Batasha; she gave me the go ahead to blast your sorry ass.”

The human smirked a bit watching the Perrik’s face flush, as much as a salarian’s face could actually flush,

“Now, as I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, this is what’s going to happen.”

Perrik’s gaze dropped to the human’s hand, which was inconspicuously reaching into his pocket. He instinctively shot up as the human pulled out…nothing but a small stone of some kind. The human’s gaze, now angry and impatient, quickly darted up,

“Sit your over-dramatic ass down Perrik.”

Perrik gulped, and quickly gazed around the bar; nobody seemed to notice, or care. He slowly sat back down, and the human continued on while turning the stone over in his hand,

“Now, if you’d let me finish a fucking sentence, I decided to implore Batasha to see reason; lucky for you I didn’t feel much for killing today. Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to pay two month’s worth of credits within 48 hours, and we’ll go back to business as usual. Fail, and I’ll just remind you what I said earlier; we won’t be having a third chat.”

The human leaned a bit over the table,

“Now get the fuck out of my sight.”

He allowed his biotic glow to amplify for just one moment; a flair for the dramatic was sometimes effective. He watched Perrik rush out of the bar, and scoffed. 

_Definitely pathetic._

He sighed to himself, resting his head on his knuckles. It was fun watching salarians get flustered; they'd talk a mile a minute and more often than not spew some gems of info that could be used as leverage later on. He proceeded to pull up his omni-tool, and typed a short message. Within a few moments his omni-tool pinged with a credit account notification; payday was always so sweet. He grinned and leaned back in his chair a bit, taking in the mellow yet pulsing beats of the music mixing with the white noise of passersby. After a moment or two of contemplation, he picked up his drink and made his way over to the window, gazing out over the towering skyscrapers of Nos Astra. He’d spent most of his life on Illium, and like a good portion of people had fallen into its not so secret clutches of corporate corruption and hired crime. He was fiercely intelligent and observational to a fault; on Illium you had to be if you didn’t want to eventually piss someone high up off enough to off you. That, coupled with his “don’t give a shit” attitude and snark, made a life of what his various asari employers dubbed “problem solving” quite lucrative. It also helped to be a skilled biotic and pretty adept with weapons, but he liked to focus more on the mental side of things; it was more fun making people crack than cracking their skull. He took a swig of his drink,

_Damn Aethyta, you really are good._

He took a moment to tune into what was happening around him; Eternity was always a prime location for scoping out others, and he wasn't ashamed to admit he was fond of the place. He caught parts of a conversation between a hopeless turian and his quarian companion; his not so subtle hints of sexual longing were practically nauseating. Across the bar, a sorry looking bachelor party was in full swing. He caught Aethyta’s cool gaze for a split second; he was a snarky bastard but she could dish it out just the same. He respected that. He turned back around, and shifted his attention to his hand as he played with a dull, pink stone. Its jagged edges felt familiar, its smooth sides almost comforting in a way. He wasn’t one for sentimentality, at least not too much of it, but the stone was something constant, almost grounding. Had he used it to bash a couple heads in once or twice? Sure. Sometimes the mental game only went so far, sometimes idiots got greedy or stupid, often both. Either way he got paid. He found himself lingering on memories as he absently gazed at the stone, but the sound of approaching footsteps brought him back to reality.

“Rose Quartz?”

The voice was commanding, but he didn’t shift his gaze.

“100K to intimidate, 500 to “solve”. Even million for higher ups.”

They’d used his code name, he knew the score. 

“That’s not exactly why I’m here.”

_Great, another sorry asshole wasting my time._

“If you’re not paying, keep moving.”

The next voice was an accented woman’s,

“This job pays, and we’re recruiting you specifically…Cooper."

His gaze shifted up, he hadn’t expected his name. It’d been a while, and he wasn’t used to being caught off guard. He stifled it quickly and replied,

“And who might be recruiting me?”

The male voice replied strongly,

‘Commander Shepard.”

Cooper let out an audible laugh,

“Yeah right; the galactic hero Commander Shepherd, killed in action 2 years ago, is recruiting me? You must be out of your-“

Cooper’s voice stopped as he circled around, his gaze meeting that of a man he’d only seen in vids before. It was him. 

_Commander fucking Shepard._


	2. Quid Pro Quo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you're negotiating with folks like these, things can get pretty heated. Good thing Cooper can take the heat, and dish it right back out.

“So I guess the rumors weren’t bullshit.”

Cooper stared intently and analyzed the man in front of him. He had the same military buzzed hair, the same commanding tone of voice and posture immortalized in the vids everyone had seen before. Could it be an imposter? Some kind of clone? Possibly, but Cooper was intuitive and a master of reading people, and there was just something about the man in front of him that was unmistakable. 

It was Commander Shepard.

“Gotta say, you look pretty damn good for a dead man.”

“I get that a lot these days, but we’re not here for compliments.”

 _‘Well well’_ , Cooper thought to himself, _‘He’s got some bite to him.’_

“Perhaps we could all have a seat and discuss our proposition?”

Cooper shifted his gaze to the dark haired woman accompanying Shepard. She seemed clinical, yet also strangely seductive. Her body proportions looked almost too good to be true, accentuated by her skin tight white and black jumpsuit, but Cooper couldn’t have been less interested. For just a split second, Cooper’s gaze caught an insignia on the woman’s chest.

_'…interesting.'_

Cooper’s gaze shifted next to the third member of their little entourage, the turian. He didn’t seem to be talking, and had a large set of scars on his face. Cooper could tell by his subtle movements and glances at Shepard that he was the “on your six” member of the group, the bodyguard. Cooper studied the turian’s gaze at him and detected hints of malice and distrust. This turian was definitely of the self righteous do-gooder variety; the worst. Cooper subtly rolled his eyes at that knowledge and returned his gaze back to Shepard, motioning toward an empty table,

“Why not?” 

The four of them made their way over, and the woman began to speak again,

“I suppose I’ll introduce ourselves. I’m Miranda Lawson. This is Garrus Vakarian, and I’m sure you know Commander John Shepard.

Cooper put his hand up to stop her and replied,

“Look, I don’t like idle talk so let’s just get it out in the open shall we? What does Cerberus want with me?”

The three of them shared a quick look between each other, and the woman replied,

“You’ve heard about the colony disappearances I assume?”

Cooper let out a subtle chuckle,

“It’s the only thing my shakeups talk about these days. ‘Please sir, my colony shipment lines blah blah blah.’ What of it?” 

“Cerberus gathered intel that pointed to the Collectors being responsible, and started putting together a crew to investigate. Our suspicions were confirmed without a doubt...”

She took a moment to compose herself,

“...when we witnessed them conducting a mass abduction of colonists on Horizon.”

Cooper leaned back, and a tense silence consumed the group. He’d heard about Horizon of course, the Alliance was trying to downplay what happened but it was easier to get the hard truth when you were on Illium. Whispers alluded to some kind of mass paralysis, and flying bugs of some kind whisking people away. 

“Shit, so you were there? I heard rumors of what actually happened, can’t imagine seeing it in person.”

The three of them shared a sullen look at each other; it was clear the rumors were true. Cooper continued,

“Anyway, sad as that may be and all, that doesn’t explain what you want with me.”

Garrus scoffed,

“Typical criminal.”

Cooper raised an eyebrow and hit back,

“Excuse you?”

“You heard me; typical criminal. All you care about is yourself, damn everyone else.”

Cooper clapped exaggeratedly, 

“Oh wow, Captain Fuckin’ Obvious over here with a brilliant observation! I’m guessing whatever mangled your face messed with your memory too, hotshot; we’re on Illium. You grow up here, you learn real quick to look out for you and you alone to get anywhere in life, otherwise you’re dead or indentured before your balls even drop.”

**“You son of a bitch!”**

Garrus leapt up and quickly aimed his rifle, and was met with Cooper’s omni-blade right at the cusp of his throat. Cooper glared unwaveringly; he was acutely aware of and alarmed by the barrel of a gun in his face for sure, but wasn’t about to show weakness.

“Both of you, stand down!”

Shepard’s voice boomed, and cut through the tension like Cooper’s omni-blade would’ve Garrus’ neck. With one last glare, Cooper’s omni-blade disappeared, and he sat back down as Garrus lowered his rifle and shot Shepard a seemingly apologetic glance. Shepard continued,

“We’re here to recruit you Cooper.”

Cooper scoffed,

“Recruit me? I thought Cerberus formed an investigative team? Seems to me the investigating is done and over with.”

Cooper took note of their shared looks, and smirked,

“Then again, why would Commander Shepard, savior of the Citadel and renowned goody goody suddenly reappear from the dead, and join Cerberus? Unless…”

Cooper stared directly at Shepard,

“…there’s some kind of heroic mission to complete. Something high stakes.”

Cooper stared at Shepard, and Shepard stared right back. Was he challenging him? Was he curious? Cooper prided himself on being a master at reading people; their movements and glances. Body language was universal, but something about Shepard was unfamiliar; confounding. Not breaking eye contact, Shepard replied,

“Very perceptive. We’re forming a crew to stage an attack on the Collector home world to stop these colony abductions.”

Cooper couldn’t help himself from letting out a very audible laugh, or was it more of a scoff? Either way, he was flabbergasted. 

“You mean to tell me you want to go through the Omega-4 relay? The relay no ship has ever returned from?”

Shepard nodded,

“That’s right, and we want the best of the best with us when we do it.”

Cooper was susceptible to flattery, he was human after all. Commander Shepard was also no slouch in the looks department, but Cooper shelved that thought for the time being.

“Heh, flattery goes a long way with me Shepard, but I also don’t intend on dying anytime soon if I have anything to do with it. You’re asking me to join a glorified suicide mission.”

Cooper glanced at Miranda,

“However, I’m not naive. I’m guessing if I refuse, I’ll have Cerberus making my life hell from now on, and that’s the last thing I need in my line of work.”

She wanted to smirk, Cooper could tell. 

_‘Bitch’_ he thought to himself, before returning his gaze to Shepard.

“…how much is the pay?”

A data pad was slid across the table, and Cooper found himself looking at what could only be described as a very attractive number. Could he do this? He liked Illium, but was not by any means overly attached. He didn’t like the idea of a risk with seemingly no way out, but if he did make it out he’d be living easy. Maybe easy enough to even give up his work for good. He had no issue with killing, that much was sure. Cooper looked back up at Shepard, but suddenly found his gaze shifting. Looking beyond Shepard and across Eternity, he caught a glimpse of an all too familiar yellow uniform, and an all too sickening face.

_‘Motherfucker.’_

“Cooper?”

Cooper continued to glare at the figure across the bar, who matched it.

“Cooper? Are you alright?”

Shepard’s voice brought Cooper’s focus back to the table, and with a second glance he noticed the figure had retreated. Cooper folded his hands together and propped his head up while he thought. It only took a moment or two before a grin started to form on his lips; he could spin this to his advantage. 

“How about a little quid pro quo Shepard? You help me with a little problem, and I’ll help you with your shit heap of one.”

Shepard sighed. It wasn’t exactly out of annoyance Cooper figured, more so a confirmation of sorts. Cooper guessed this wasn’t the first “favor” Shepard had been roped into, but he didn’t care. As usual he was holding the cards, and the opportune time to play his hand had so conveniently appeared. 

“We’ll do it.”

Shepard and his team all shared a brief look and respective nod, but Cooper cut them off before they could go any further.

“Nope. Just you.”

Shepard cocked an eyebrow and replied,

“Why just me?”

Cooper smirked a bit,

“You’re asking me to put my life on the line against some pretty stacked odds. Least you can do is prove you’re worth my time.”

Cooper detected the faintest of grins on Shepard’s mouth. He was beginning to border on the level of infuriating; he wasn’t easy to analyze and Cooper preferred having knowledge on his side at the very least. 

_‘Well, at least now you’ll get to see him up close in action. This should be fun.’_

Cooper toyed with his stone and smirked at his musings while Shepard convened with his team. After exchanging some goodbyes, Shepard returned to Cooper’s side.

“So, you going to tell me what I’m helping you with?”

Cooper chuckled,

“Let’s just call it…Illium justice.”


	3. Illium Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illium justice is exciting, bloody, and most of all...final.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update took so long, anyone who may be reading! I got caught up in some other endeavors I'm involved in, but my focus is back on the story and I'm excited on where it's heading from here! Also, thank you for leaving some kudos! I'm happy people are finding some enjoyment in this story! :) Hope you like what comes next!

The doors of Cooper’s apartment slid open, and him and Shepard proceeded inside. The sky-car ride from Eternity had been pretty silent, although Cooper had caught a couple glances from Shepard from his peripheral, their purpose annoyingly unclear. As the doors slid shut, Cooper watched as Shepard walked around and gazed at various odds and ends before finally settling his sights on the view of a bustling Nos Astra outside. Cooper grinned,

“It’s okay to say you’re impressed.”

Shepard shot Cooper a look over his shoulder, part impressed and part suspiciously curious and replied,

“Guess corporate guns make better money than I thought.”

Cooper raised his arms and did a small dramatic flourish,

“Only the best ones.”

Cooper started to make his way upstairs to his bedroom as Shepard asked,

“So, are you going to tell me why you brought me here? Or was it just to show off?”

Cooper chuckled to himself, Shepard had some acerbic edge to him.

“Well Shepard, if I’m going to join your little Cerberus rag-tag shoot ‘em up squad, I’ll probably be wanting my armor don’t you think?”

Shepard cocked an eyebrow as he replied,

“You need armor? Didn’t peg you as the kind of guy who gets in firefights. Seem more like a one on one killer.”

Cooper stops to peer at Shepard from above,

“Now I know you’re not that dense Shepard. Think about it; I’m a hired corporate gun on Illium. Pretty high odds of either running into the police or _Eclipse_ at some point, laughable as either of them are. Anyway, you can help yourself to the bar; it’s fully stocked. I’ll just be a minute.”

Cooper motioned to the bar settled against one of the walls before heading inside his bedroom, the door quickly shutting behind him. He opened his closet and shoved his numerous tops out of the way, revealing a built in compartment on one end. With a quick scan of his omni-tool the compartment opened, and inside sat Cooper’s armor, sleek and modern and admittedly itching for some action. After digging it out and setting it on his bed, Cooper shed his top, and before he could change into his under-armor his gaze caught in his mirror. As his fingers traced across his exposed chest, he felt his usual gusto and grin falter, just for a split second. He quickly shook out of it however, and in that moment his mind clued him into something. With a chuckle and a shake of his head, Cooper muttered to himself,

“…son of a bitch.”

Shepard smiled a bit as Cooper retreated into his bedroom; he wasn’t dense. He was a master at getting a nugget of info when needed, and playing like someone with a lesser hand tends to produce results. Shepard had noticed a certain uptick of vitriol in Cooper’s tone at the mention of Eclipse, and figured it may have something to do with this favor Cooper’s asking of him. Shepard made his way over to the admittedly impressive bar; Cooper wasn’t exaggerating when he said it was fully stocked. 

_‘Shit, it is a fine apartment.’_ Shepard admitted to himself, pouring a small glass of bourbon and returning to the view of Nos Astra in full motion outside. 

_‘He must be damn good to live like this.’_

Shepard found himself in his own thoughts, his own curiosities. Cooper was something of a question mark for him; it was rare for Shepard to meet someone who threw him for a loop. He’d read the usual Cerberus dossier, but this one was noticeably less detailed than the others had been. First name Cooper, somehow no official last name was on file anywhere. Codename was Rose Quartz, no meaning given. Highly skilled with biotics and some weaponry. Extremely high levels of situational awareness and observation, coupled with exemplary manipulation tactics. 

_‘Not quite perfect though are you?’_

Shepard took a sip of bourbon, and his thoughts moved elsewhere, to places colder and darker. Could someone ever truly get over having died? _‘Fuck no’_ Shepard once again thought to himself, faintly remembering the feeling of having no air to breathe, of floating farther and farther away from the ruins of what was once his ship, from the life pods carrying his crew…his friends to safety. He could feel his breathing subconsciously become more and more shallow, a bead or two of sweat beginning to form on his brow. Almost mercifully, he was pulled back into reality by Cooper’s voice from above, 

“Well aren’t you a clever son of a bitch Shepard? Managed to make me slip and cough up free information. Lucky for you I’m not about to off my payday.”

Shepard inhaled a bit and smiled slightly. Cooper didn’t know it but he’d saved him a load of trouble in that moment; snarky pseudo threats aside. As he turned around, he found himself at a loss of words, managing to mutter out only a small single word.

“Damn.”

Cooper smirked; he knew he looked good, and he could tell Shepard thought so too. His armor wasn’t as bulky as Shepard’s, more form-fitting without sacrificing protective capability and more stealth minded with primarily black coloring; Cooper could’ve easily moved into thievery if he were inclined to. It had come in handy on some of his more risky, clandestine missions in the past, and it did serve to set him apart from the average gun for hire on Illium. He hadn’t really intended for the trip home to be something of a show-off moment for Shepard, but far be it from Cooper to not scoop up appreciation from someone of such a high caliber. He made his way down the stairs, noticing Shepard’s unrelenting gaze and said,

“Cat got your tongue Shepard?”

Cooper watched smugly as Shepard’s gaze moved down, and rolled his eyes slightly just before Shepard’s obvious reply,

“It…has pink accents.”

Cooper chuckled,

“No shit. Gotta live up to my namesake somehow don’t I?”

Cooper sighed as Shepard’s gaze moved back into his own, and replied knowing what Shepard would ask,

“Look, it may be 2185, but some things never change Shepard. You wouldn’t believe how many people underestimate a man because he has a touch of _*gasp_ **pink** on his armor! I’d laugh if it wasn’t so pitiful honestly.”

Cooper noticed Shepard let out a small chuckle to himself,

“Besides, I may be a cold bastard but even I know pink and black make a killer combo.”

Shepard grinned, and Cooper couldn’t help but reciprocate as Shepard responded,

“I take it you’re ready to go?”

“After you.”

Cooper followed Shepard toward the door, but stopped for a moment to grab his small stone, flipping it over a couple times in hand before depositing it in a pouch on his belt.

“Rose Quartz huh?” Shepard asked him with a small grin.

“What can I say?” Cooper replied, “It’s my lucky charm.”

Another sky-car ride, although Shepard felt less awkward and unsure this time around. He didn’t really take the time to think about the cause, as this trip was much quicker than the previous. Clearly Cooper had been planning whatever this mission was for some time already; he seemed…glaringly fixated on something. Shepard was honestly impressed with Cooper’s quick switch in mindset; that kind of focus would come in handy on missions. They touched down in a tucked away area near Nos Astra Exchange, now lit up in bright, nighttime neon, but far enough away from the tourists and people to be noticed. As they exited the sky car, Shepard followed Cooper to an extended wall where they paused, Shepard noticing Cooper’s focus on a nearby door, unsurprisingly guarded by two Eclipse guards. Cooper returned his focus to Shepard,

“Okay, we’re here.”

Shepard replied in a hushed tone,

“Okay Cooper, now’s the time to fill me in on what exactly we’re doing.”

Shepard watched as Cooper pulled up a screen from his omni-tool, and a human male’s face appeared as Cooper explained,

“Jaxx Otexa, upper middle ranked Eclipse member and all around pain in my ass. Suffice it to say he’s got a sore spot for me, and now with your help I can finally take care of him.”

Shepard raised an eyebrow, remembering back to Eternity,

“You saw him at Eternity didn’t you? That’s what got you flustered.”

Cooper rolled his eyes,

“No shit Sherlock, but it looks like that’ll work in my favor. Taking care of him now will make coming back here easier later, and as much as I think highly of my skills, I can’t just infiltrate an Eclipse stronghold on my own.”

Shepard continued to press Cooper,

“What did you do to piss him off? You know, besides probably just acting like yourself?”

Cooper glared,

“Oh look he’s clever. Look, let’s just say the only thing Eclipse doesn’t like more than taking their business, is refusing their initiation offer, and then taking their business. It’s not my fault my employers prefer my methods to solving their problems.” 

Shepard chuckled,

“So you refused to join Eclipse? Seem like the perfect recruit.”

Shepard could tell by Cooper’s glare that he wasn’t impressed,

“Insult me like that again Shepard and you might catch some friendly fire later. I’ve got no problem being a team player when I need to be, but that’s only with people actually worth my attention. Eclipse likes to think they’re high class operatives or some bullshit, but they’re Omega trash on a different planet. The asari are just young, rebellious, and starry eyed for ‘the mercenary life’, whatever the fuck that means. The salarians are nothing but a bunch of STG rejects too stupid to go into honest work. And the humans? Trigger happy meatheads with compensation issues. They’re sloppy.”

Shepard stifled a laugh,

“Shit, you really don’t like them.”

Cooper grinned,

“I take my work seriously; isn’t that why Cerberus wants me?”

The two men shared a look, both confident, but unsure as to the subtext. Shepard continued,

“So what’s this Jaxx been doing that’s got you ready to get rid of him for good?”

Cooper gazed downward,

“Typical thorn in my side kinds of things. Sending Eclipse operatives to interfere with my kills, trying to sway my higher up sponsors towards using Eclipse through blackmail or other methods. He’s not stupid enough to confront me directly, he acknowledges I’m the better. I’m guessing he wants me to eventually pack up and leave Illium; unfortunately for him he won’t see that dream realized in his lifetime.”

Shepard watched Cooper’s unrelenting and unwavering determination in a mix of shock, and appreciation. He didn’t condone useless killing by any means, he’d even saved the Council at the expense of human lives. But someone with a focus so honed like Cooper’s would be invaluable in a mission as unknown and threatening as attacking Collectors. Plus, it seemed for all of Cooper’s snark and self appreciation, he was going to have the ability to back it up. Shepard couldn't help but notice a slight change in Cooper's demeanor however, it seemed there may be some kind of personal undertone to the situation.

“One more thing Shepard.”

Shepard tabled his thoughts,

“What?”

Cooper swallowed,

“You’re the Commander here. You know my goal, and I want the final kill, but until then what you say in firefights goes. I…trust you.”

Shepard grinned, Cooper reciprocated. Shepard gave Cooper’s shoulder a pat,

“Then let’s get to it.”

Cooper backed it up. He backed it all up. Shepard watched from his periphery as Cooper somehow blended stealth and precision with all around grit and brazenness in battle. In actuality, despite his skills with a gun, Cooper’s ability with an omni-blade is what stood out to Shepard. He’d always found them on the clunky side, but Cooper seemed to wield it like a master swordsman, impaling one poor sucker while shooting another in the opposite direction and ending with a slightly sick throat slashing.

 _‘Who the hell trained him?’_ Shepard wondered as he took out a vanguard with a headshot. They’d made it pretty far into the Eclipse enclave, and after Cooper biotically slammed a salarian onto the floor they regrouped behind a large shipping crate.

“Nice shooting Shepard, nice to see your reputation wasn’t total Alliance hot air.”

Shepard shared a grin with Cooper,

“Nice to see all your grandstanding wasn’t bullshit yourself. Any idea where Jaxx is?”

Shepard didn’t have to wait long for a response, a very loud and commanding one from up ahead,

“Well well, you actually showed up Quartz. Didn’t think you were man enough for a head to head.”

Shepard watched Cooper scowl and shout back from around the crate,

“More man than you could handle Otexa! Just ask your sorry excuses for recruits back there.”

Shepard heard Jaxx scoff,

“Think those dime a dozen pawns matter to me? I can spit in any direction on Illium and find 10 people wanting into Eclipse. You can’t beat me Quartz, and you can’t keep up with me, so lie down like the bitch you are and I’ll make it quick!”

Shepard didn’t know why he suddenly yelled out,

“Cold day in hell when some sorry punk calls a member of my squad a bitch Jaxx! Cooper here could off you in his sleep from what I’ve seen, and you just seem like all talk!”

Shepard looked at Cooper, who seemed shocked, and maybe even a little appreciative given his grinned chuckle.

“Don’t think I forgot about you Shepard! When Jona hears I gunned you down, I’ll have Wasea’s job in a flash!”

Shepard noticed Cooper grit his teeth and yell back,

“You done flapping your gums Otexa? I got places to be and actual threats to deal with.”

Shepard heard the sound of more boots approaching, and quickly got Cooper’s attention,

“Look, he’s your beef. I’ll handle the others.”

They shared an understanding nod, and Shepard watched as Cooper rushed ahead towards Jaxx,

“You’re mine you piece of shit!”

The sound of omni-blades clashing joined the rapid gunfire as Cooper and Jaxx dueled; guns were too impersonal for a fight like this. In his periphery, Cooper noticed Shepard taking out soldier after soldier, smirking a bit and continuing to put pressure on Jaxx, who returned with a gaze of fury and wild abandon. He was formidable, on the lower end of the spectrum to be sure, but still able to hold his own. Cooper had to respect that, he wasn’t so arrogant as to dismiss him completely. In some twisted kind of way, there almost seemed to be a subtle tone of deadly seduction in their strikes; a twinge of playfulness and familiar tension almost palpable. 

“You can’t beat me Quartz, you’re all on your own.”

Cooper landed a surprise punch to Jaxx’s jaw,

“Take a look Otexa, I keep pretty deadly company these days.”

Jaxx landed a kick to Cooper’s stomach, the armor doing its job but not quite absorbing the full blow,

“You think you’re so high and mighty; I can’t wait to wipe that smirk off your face!”

Cooper dodged his slash, and continued to hold his own. Soon enough, he began to notice Jaxx’s patterns, or rather lack of, and started to bide his time.

“If you could, you would’ve already _Ottie_.”

Cooper saw the blaze of fury grow even brighter in Jaxx’s eyes,

**“Don’t fucking call me that!”**

Jaxx rushed forward and tackled him, Cooper wrapping his arms around Jaxx’s torso as they rolled. Cooper managed to get his knees bent from under Jaxx and kicked out, shoving Jaxx up and off of him as he returned to his feet. Jaxx let out a loud and exacerbated growl and started to wildly slash his blade between words,

“Fucking…smug…prick!”

Cooper parried and dodged, calm and confident,

“Deep down…you know…you’re…just…like… **me!** ”

Jaxx slashed in a downward arc, but Cooper was ready, and in an instant caught his wrist in his hand. He yanked Jaxx close, and in a cold whisper simply replied,

“No. I’m _better_.”

Cooper’s other hand shot up from underneath, making contact with Jaxx’s arm at the elbow and producing a sickening pop, followed by a scream from Jaxx who stumbled back. As Cooper watched Shepard take out the last Eclipse soldier out of the corner of his eye, he began to glow with bluish hues, and suddenly Jaxx was hoisted up into the air, and quickly slammed back down to the ground, the sound of the impact reverberating in the now quiet room. Cooper slowly strutted over to his crumpled body, listening to his bloody coughs and painful groans, and proceeded to take his namesake stone out of his belt pouch. He knelt down and straddled Jaxx on the floor, who muttered out between coughs,

“…do it….it doesn’t make a difference….I’ll always be the one who lef-“

Cooper grabbed a fistful of Jaxx’s hair and hoisted his head up. His other arm raised up, the pink stone in his hand now surrounded by a biotic field of bright blue as he whispered,

“Rot in hell Ottie.”

He brought his hand down, the stone and biotic field smashing into Jaxx’s head like a battering ram. It was over.

Cooper and Shepard slowly and quietly exited the stronghold; Shepard didn’t really know what to say and could tell Cooper needed some silence. Once they reached the sky-car, Cooper finally spoke,

“You kept your end of the deal Shepard; I’ll keep mine. I’ll be on your ship and ready to go by the end of the day.”

Shepard exhaled a bit and replied,

“You worried Eclipse is going to come after you after this?”

Cooper’s gaze was elsewhere,

“Jaxx had a lot of enemies, they won’t know it was me for a while. Investigations are another thing they tend to suck at. I just need to go home, clean up, pack some things and I’ll be ready to go.” 

Shepard couldn’t describe how he felt when Cooper returned his gaze back to him, only that he finally noticed the diamond-like gray color of his eyes,

“And Shepard…thank you…for having my back.” 

Shepard reached a hand out and placed it on Cooper’s shoulder, met with a smile that for the first time didn’t seem like a smirk or something similar,

“No problem. Glad to have you aboard.”

Cleaning blood off of his quartz stone was always a bit cumbersome, but Cooper liked it looking pristine. As he scrubbed, he took a moment to gaze around at his abode; he’d be saying goodbye for some time…possibly even forever if things went to deep shit. 

_‘Highly probable.’_ , he thought to himself, finally getting the last traces of Jaxx’s blood off. He approached the window, and took one final look out at Nos Astra…at home. Was he afraid to die? Hard to say. In his line of work it was always a possibility, but this seemed so much grander in the scheme of things, and grander problems yield different reactions. It was strange, but in his gut, Cooper felt like this was something that he was meant to do. Somewhere he was meant to go. And…someone he was meant to learn more about.

 _‘I’ll see you soon.'_ Cooper thought to himself with a small smile, as he pocketed his stone, hoisted his bags over his shoulders, took one last look around, and finally headed out the door toward his new adventure.


End file.
